I can understand how, presented with material put out by groups that support legal abortion, a person could blame abortion's legal status for the carnage before Roe vs. Wade legalized abortion across America. After all, there are far fewer deaths per year from abortion post-Roe, when it's legal, than there were when it was illegal. But there is a difference between correlation and causality -- just because two things happen at the same time doesn't mean one caused the other.
For example, if you have a high fever, and are very congested, it would be wrong to conclude that the fever is causing the congestion, or that the congestion is causing the fever. Both would have their real cause in whatever virus or bacterium was making you ill.
Many things changed between the years tabulated in the Homicide in Chicago Interactive Database and the post-Roe world of legal abortion. Antibiotics were developed and became widespread and were refined and improved. Blood typing and transfusions were developed. Our understanding of what causes, and how to treat, hypovolemic shock has progressed considerably. Doctors have become more aware of the need to keep things clean and sanitary, and to sterilize instruments. Better nutrition has made women healthier in the first place. Improved sanitation reduced the overall filth that caused many infections.
To single out legalization, and to ignore the real factors, is to mistake coincidence for cause. And if you look at maternal mortality throughout the 20th Century, you can see that there wasn't any change in the trend at all with legalization of abortion:
Clearly something other than legalization was saving women's lives. And if you don't have that in mind, it's easy to believe what abortion supporters say -- that it was legalization, not all the many improvements in health, hygiene, nutrition, and medicine -- that had such a dramatic impact on maternal mortality.
Pre-Roe Abortion Deaths
The following deaths are listed in alphabetical order by the woman's last name. Women whose names aren't given in source documents are given the surname "Roe" unless another source gives them a different pseudonym.
You will notice that not all of these women's abortions were illegal. This is because some states legalized abortion for various reasons before Roe vs. Wade
In September of 1923, 44-year-old Annie Allison of Brooklyn died at the office of chiropractor Henry Lee Mottard, who practiced under the name of Dr. Henry L. Green.
At lunchtime on the first of April, 1898, Hughretta "Etta" Binkley went to the residence/office of Dr.Belle Howard, aka Belle Shotwell, for an illegal abortion.
Cora A. Burke was a 20-year-old who had been widowed about five months. In May of 1899, Cora told Mrs. Martha Johnson that she was about six weeks pregnant and wanted to find a good doctor to perform an abortion. Mrs. Johnson introduced Cora to Dr. R. J. Alcorn.
In May of 1934, 19-year-old actress Annette Camoratto, stage name Toni Morgan, died of abortion complications. Dr. Harry A Felice was charged with homicide in Annette's death.
According to the National Organization for Women web site, Vivian Campbell obtained some sort of illegal abortion, then died of peritonitis in May of 1950.
Sarah Howe, age 57, had been blind since she was three years old. Howe was charged with abortion and with manslaughter in the death of 23-year-old Helen Clark. Helen died in September of 1941.
In February of 1929, Virginia Clark died of complications of a botched, illegal abortion. Virginia was treated prior to her death by a Dr. McArthur, who said that Virginia told him that when she learned that she was pregnant, and the man responsible made arrarrangements for an abortion to be performed by a doctor.
In October of1939, Miss Alice Corbett, age 28, of Brooklyn, New York, died from complications of an illegal abortion. Dr. Allen F. Murphy was sentenced to 2-10 years in Sing-Sing for Alice's death.
In December of 1956, 26-year-old Mary Davies of New York City arrived in the Ashland, Pennsylvania office of abortionist Dr. Robert Douglas Spencer. She was seeking an abortion.
Margaret Davis was a 33-year-old homemaker who underwent an abortion at Windsor Hills Hospital in Los Angeles County. Christopher Dotson began the abortion in July of 1971.
In October of 1936, 26-year-old Katherine DiDonato, mother of two, was admitted to Roosevelt Hospital to be treated for complications of a criminal abortion. Detectives were told that Katherine had bought pills from drug clerk Hyman Kantor, who had then recommended Dr. Aloysius Mulholland to perform an abortion.
Fifteen-year-old Gwendolyn Drummer was a student at Harry Ellis High in Richmond, California, when she was admitted to Doctor's Hospital of Pinole for a legal abortion.
According to the National Organization for Women web site, Clara Bell Duvall was a 32-year-old married mother of five, aged 6 months to 12 years. NOW says that Clara attempted a self-induced abortion with a knitting needle and died in March of 1929.
Dr. Amenti Rongetti's death sentence was handed down by a Chicago jury in March of 1928. Rongetti had been convicted of murder in the abortion death of 19-year-old Loretta Enders.
On New Years Eve of 1935, criminal abortion charges were dropped against Dr. Tobias Ginsberg, and his nurse, because of insufficient evidence. The two were suspects in the death of 24-year-old Mrs. Edith Eschrich.
In April of 1932, Mrs. Isobel F. Ferguson died of suspected abortion complications. Two physicians in the University of Oklahoma area, J. W. Elsiminger and Richard E. Thacker, were suspected in the case.
Eighteen-year-old Janet Foster underwent an abortion at the hands of Richard Neal at Valley Doctors' Hospital in North Hollywood, California in September of 1971.
According to the National Organization for Women web site, Ruth Irene Friedl was a married, 27-year-old mother of two. NOW says that Ruth drank ergot apiol, an herbal abortifacient, in August of 1929.
In October of 1939, the body of Barbara Hanson, age 21, was found in a Houston, Texas, motel room. James Carter and George F. Norton pleaded guilty to performing the abortion that killed Barbara.
In 1928, Roy E. Hardesty won an award of $5,000 for the death of his wife, Arretta. Arretta had paid a physician, John T. Martin, $10 for the abortion, which was performed surgically.
John O. Edmonson was convicted of manslaughter in the second degree after an abortion he arranged resulted in the death of his paramour, 20-year-old Ada Hawk. Ada died some time before 1895.
Eleanor Haynes, age 22, died at Hackensack Hospital in New Jersey in October, 1937, after indicating that Dr. P. Ralph McFeely had performed an abortion on her.
Betty Hines was 21 years old when she was checked into Doctors Hospital in California for an abortion to be performed by Dr. A. Mitchell in July, 1971.
Denise Holmes, a 24-year-old Australian woman living in Texas, decided to undergo an abortion at Avalon Hospital in Los Angeles, California, on her way home for Christmas of 1970.
In late May, 1915, Anna Johnson died from an abortion performed by Dr. Eva Shaver, who then shot the dead woman in the head to disguise the death as a suicide.
In early April, 1955, Karvey Karman met Joyce Johnson in a motel room and, using a speculum, inserted a nutcracker into Joyce in order to perform an abortion.
Mary Kirkpatrick was a 16-year-old mill worker in New Jersey in 1859. She and her boss became sexually involved, and Mary became pregnant. Mary's boss obtained an abortifacient, which he gave to Mary.
Abraham Conheim had promised marriage to 19-year-old Harriet Larocque. In April of 1902, Harriet discovered that she was pregnant. Conheim reneged on his promise of marriage, and instead arranged a criminal abortion for her.
In early May, 1938, Mrs. Genevieve Horton, a practical nurse, was released on bail pending trial in an abortion case. After being released, Horton performed an abortion on 29-year-old Mrs. Asunta La Rosa, a mother of three.
In April of 1932, a young woman died of abortion complications -- 17-year-old Nancy Jo Lee, a University of Oklahoma co-ed. Richard E. Thacker, a surgeon, was charged with the death.
In October of 1942, 23-year-old Harriet Lichtenberg of Brooklyn died in Royal Hospital, the Bronx, from suspected criminal abortion complications. Dr. Henry Katz was indicted for first degree manslaughter in Harriet's death.
Rose died at Riverdale (maternity) Hospital in late January, 1936. Dr. Maxwell C. Katz, who both operated and lived at Riverdale, signed a death certificate. After the funeral, an anonymous caller notified the police that Rose's death was suspicious. Authorities had Rose's body exhumed, and an autopsy showed that Rose had died from an illegal abortion.
Barbara, a 19-year-old college student, informed her parents that she was pregnant in 1962. Mr. and Mrs. Lofrumento arranged for an abortion by Dr. Harvey Lothringer.
Mrs. Marts went to a Dr. Anderson, who she'd previously never seen, in January of 1920. He did not examine her, but made arrangements to go to her home around noon the following day to perform "an operation."
In November, 1942, 26-year-old Madeline McGeehan died at Prospect Hospital in New York after an illegal abortion. Arrested were Dr. Joseph Nisonoff; his nurse, Camille Ewald; his receptionist, Pearl Tense; and Dr. Max J. Weinstein, who was thought to have referred Madeline to Nisonoff.
In late March, 1942, 19-year-old Cleo Florence Moore died at New Rochelle Hospital in New York from peritonitis from an illegal abortion. Upon admission, Cleo told authorities that she had taken some pills to induce the abortion, but before her death she changed her story and said that Dr. Frank F. Marino had performed the fatal abortion.
After California legalized abortion on demand in 1970, a Texas company began selling abortion referrals and air fare. Twenty-year-old Katherine Morse was one customer. Katherine was admitted to Bel Air Memorial Hospital in LA County on the first of September, 1972.
Twenty-three-year-old Maria Hernandez Ortega traveled from her home in Massachusetts for a legal abortion my Dr. Armida Zepeta in her New York office in October, 1970.
In late July of 1941, Mrs. Agnes Pearson of White Plains, New York died at Grasslands Hospital in New York of suspected complications from an abortion. Dr. Nathan Schwartz and Dr. Samuel Schwartz (not related) were charged with manslaughter in Agnes' death.
Operating on a tip, police, accompanied by an ambulance, broke into a private home in the Bronx, in early April, 1954. There they found Gertrude Pinsky, age 35, dead from septic poisoning from an illegal abortion. Police arrested Florence Cavalluzzo, a resident of the home, and Hugo Francese, an unlicensed physician.
Sometime in the early part of the 20th century, physician and surgeon H. W. Coulter performed an abortion upon Gene Raligh, leading to her death from septicemia.
An aspiring actress, 25-year-old Virginia Rappe, took ill under strange circumstances at a weekend party Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle was holding at a San Francisco hotel in September, 1921. Four days later, she was dead.
In April, 1932, Mrs. F. S. Roach died of suspected abortion complications. Oklahoma abortion doctors Elsiminger and Thacker were suspected in the case.
Danielle, age 18, had traveled from Massachusetts to New York for a safe and legal abortion. In mid-May, 1972, the abortion was performed. Minutes after the abortion was completed, Danielle was dead.
Some time prior to 1951, Annas Witlow Brown was convicted of manslaughter in the abortion death of a woman whose name I've been unable to determine. I'll refer to her as "Helen" Roe.
In late December of 1941, Dr. Samuel Roth was sentenced to a year in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter in the illegal abortion death of a woman. Roth, whose license was suspended at the time, performed the abortion in his office in mid-January of 1937.
In February of 1933, a 22-year-old unmarried store clerk discovered that she was pregnant. In April, Nina went to a nursing home operated by a nurse to ask about an abortion. The nurse informed the woman and her lover that Dr. E. T. Martin or another doctor would be able to perform an abortion.
Roxanne was 17 years old when she traveled to New York from Michigan to have a first-trimester abortion in a doctor's office. The doctor gave her sedatives and local anesthesia to begin the abortion in mid-May, 1972.
Sheryl was 23 years old when she chose abortion. She had a history of sickle cell anemia and three live births. She was in her first trimester of pregnancy when she underwent the abortion in July of 1970.
Vicki was 23 years old in August of 1971 when she underwent an abortion in New York state. Saline was injected into her uterus to begin the abortion. The next day, she began to show signs of infection. She died of sepsis.
Carole Schaner was 37 years old when she traveled from Ohio to Buffalo, New York, for a safe and legal abortion. Dr. Jesse Ketchum performed a vaginal hysterotomy abortion in October, 1971.
On Valentine's Day, 1942, Florence Nimick Schnoor, age 24, died at St. Joseph's Hospital in New York of what the coroner called a "brutal and inept" illegal abortion. I'm classifying this as amateur rather than "unknown" because no doctor was charged in the case.
Dorothy Schultz, 19 years of age, became pregnant in June of 1929. On June 15 or 16, Dorothy's mother brought her to Dr. W. B. Parke in Camp Douglas to arrange an abortion. He examined her and agreed to do an abortion for $150.
Queens patrolman Howard Bailey, morgue attendant Victor Genz, and a Texas medical student, Benjamin Lockhart, were arrested in the December, 1965 abortion death of Rita Shea, a 33-year-old Long Island woman.
In December of 1955, Jackie told her boyfriend that she was pregnant. He did not want to marry Jackie and instead arranged for a scrub nurse, Leobaldo Pejuan, to perform an abortion on Christmas Eve.
Twenty-five-year-old Margaret Smith traveled from Michigan to New York for an abortion because she had been exposed to rubella. Her abortionist, Jesse Ketchum, performed a vaginal hysterotomy on Margaret in June of 1971.
A Philadelphia boarding house owner reported that in early October of 1839, a Dr. Henry Chauncey appeared at breakfast time and had her make some special tea. The tea was given to 21-year-old Eliza Sowers, a paper mill worker.
In January of 1972, 26-year-old Kathryn Strong went to Civic Center Hospital in Oakland, California for a legal abortion that was to be performed by Dr. Harold Van Maren.
In September of 1910, Eva died after a "Dr. Grant" performed an abortion on her. "Dr. Grant," it turned out, was actually a Dr. Robert Thompson, a graduate of Dartmouth and Baltimore Medical College.
In October of 1947, Dr. Paul Singer reported that he had taken 22-year-old Jane Ward, heir to the Drake Bakeries fortune, to Park East Hospital, to complete an illegal abortion somebody else had done. Jane died as a result. Singer was convicted of manslaughter in Jane's death.
In February of 1968, Nancy Ward flew from Oklahoma to Kansas city with her boyfriend for an abortion Nancy's father had arranged. Nancy and her boyfriend visited Dr. Richard Mucie.
Virginia was 32 years old and pursuing a Hollywood career when she became pregnant in 1954. Deciding that a baby would hurt her career, Virginia arranged to have an abortion.
In February of 1929, Mrs. Ruth Weir, of East Orange, New Jersey, died at Orange Memorial Hospital of sepsis contracted through a criminal abortion. Dr. Maurice Sturm was arrested when Ruth implicated him in a deathbed statement.
In June of 1902, Irene Wengel traveled to Tampa, Florida, where she was met by her cousin, J. Carl Christian. Christian had arranged for her to stay at the home of Dr. Frederick N. Weightnovel for an abortion.
On Christmas day of 1934, the nude body of a young woman was found in a thicket near a highway south of New York City. She was identified as 19-year-old Loretta Wilson. Dr. John H. Becker Jr., who admitted to having examined Loretta, was charged with homicide in the death.
J.W. Elsiminger was an osteopath in Oklahoma City. He alone was the suspect in the abortion death of Virginia Lee Wyckoff, a 21-year-old student at the University of Oklahoma. Virginia died in April of 1932.
For example, if you have a high fever, and are very congested, it would be wrong to conclude that the fever is causing the congestion, or that the congestion is causing the fever. Both would have their real cause in whatever virus or bacterium was making you ill.
Many things changed between the years tabulated in the Homicide in Chicago Interactive Database and the post-Roe world of legal abortion. Antibiotics were developed and became widespread and were refined and improved. Blood typing and transfusions were developed. Our understanding of what causes, and how to treat, hypovolemic shock has progressed considerably. Doctors have become more aware of the need to keep things clean and sanitary, and to sterilize instruments. Better nutrition has made women healthier in the first place. Improved sanitation reduced the overall filth that caused many infections.
To single out legalization, and to ignore the real factors, is to mistake coincidence for cause. And if you look at maternal mortality throughout the 20th Century, you can see that there wasn't any change in the trend at all with legalization of abortion:
Pre-Roe Abortion Deaths
The following deaths are listed in alphabetical order by the woman's last name. Women whose names aren't given in source documents are given the surname "Roe" unless another source gives them a different pseudonym.You will notice that not all of these women's abortions were illegal. This is because some states legalized abortion for various reasons before Roe vs. Wade